How are we to move to a low carbon future without democratic debate, without knowing what matters most or what progress has been made? The Carbon and Ecological Footprints Calculator for Schools is a unique toolbox for online eco-footprinting, specially designed for schools as institutions rather than for individuals.  As a SCHOOLS calculator it will give the information needed to make meaningful decisions and measure progress.  As such it has several significant components, which will be adapted to Canadian provinces and territories:

Components

• A schools calculator with a database for storing school profiles, allowing targets for progress and comparing schools, i.e. Project schools can choose to publish information and also compare and contrast their progress with other schools.
• A modelling environment (‘playroom’) -this is a slider-based animation that allows schools to see what changes can take place in a typical school without doing the full data collection for every variable.
• A content management system to allow the client to make changes to supporting text, files and so on in the website without referring back to the web developer.
• Supporting classroom materials and professional development.
• Ease of translation into French (or other languages) with semi-automated forms.
  

Advantages 

• The development work on the tools has been completed and funded during the initial Welsh project so funding requirements are affordable for a proven project, but flexible enough for the creation of a new interface/ ‘look and feel’ suited to Canada.
• Carbon and Ecological footprints are great tools for schools as they are a way of setting targets and measuring progress. 
• The calculators provide data for students as well as the administrators and school boards who need to make serious resource management decisions, realize what does make a difference in both their carbon as well as ecological footprints.
• It is easy to complete.
• As it has a database, a competition or public show of effort is easy to facilitate.

For further information please contact Liza Ireland